After falling from her bunk bed in May 2015, the prisoner, who hit the right side of her head, claimed she was in tremendous physical pain and emotionally distressed. The lawsuit was priced up to $500,000 for abuse and refusing to treat her medical needs.

According to Univision, Saldivar repeatedly asked authorities to accommodate to her medical needs after falling. She also pleaded that the incident could have been avoided if her rooming assignment were different. The allegations state that despite her height, obesity, and heart and thyroid medication condition, she was placed in a bunk that was too high. The inmate believed that the lack of attention to her needs was a direct result of her crime. She also accused the staff of bad judgment and lack of urgency and added that it took over 10 days for the authorities to allow a medical physician to treat her.

The Spanish-speaking network reported Yolanda Saldivar lawsuit was dismissed by the district court because her evidence did not back up her case. Saldivar is set to appeal her case again in September.

Since the inmate failed to submit formal documentation around her condition outlining her medical conditions, there was no evidence to support her allegations. Her charges against her medical treatment were also dropped since she was treated by a nurse following her fall. The court ruled in the prison's favor because Saldivar could not prove the authorities had purposely put her health at risk.